The lineup of power metal supergroup Symfonia reads like a who’s who of the genre, as former members of powerhouse groups Stratovarius, Angra, Helloween, and Sonata Artica have joined forces to take the world over with a preposterous penchant for pomposity on their debut nine-track endeavor IN PARADSIUM. Over the top from tip to tail, this presentation produces more cheese than the state of Wisconsin in a month’s time, totally overloading on clichéd bombast (“Forevermore”) from commercial hard rock and hair metal to develop a triumphant strand of power metal whose superfluous supply of rousing melodies and vocal histrionics are undeniably stuffed with saccharine (“Alayna”) yet contain an abundance of the kind of stellar virtuoso-esque musicianship that packs a punch amidst the typical power metal balderdash. www.symfonia.fl
- Mike SOS